A heartbreaking, haunting, and necessary story that offers hope while laying bare the bleakness of the world Tareq leaves...
From award-winning journalist Abawi (The Secret Sky, 2014) comes an unforgettable novel that brings readers face to face with the global refugee crisis.
Tareq, a young Syrian teenager, changes his daily routine as airstrikes on his city increase. When his home is hit by a bomb that kills most of his family in one day, Tareq is suddenly a refugee, traveling with his father and one surviving younger sister, Susan, to another Syrian town, then out of Syria to Turkey. When life in Turkey offers little hope, Tareq’s father sends him and Susan to make the treacherous trip to Greece by water. Through incredible dangers and suffering, they meet refugees and aid workers from across the globe. Abawi integrates just enough background information into the plot to make the story and characters comprehensible. The narrator is Destiny, whose authoritative voice suits the tragic and dramatic turns of plot. The narrator’s philosophical asides allow readers just enough distance to balance the intimacy of the suffering witnessed along the journey while helping to place the Syrian crisis in global and historical context as part of the cycle of humanity. The direct address challenges readers in a way that is heavy-handed only at the end, but even so it is chillingly effective.
A heartbreaking, haunting, and necessary story that offers hope while laying bare the bleakness of the world Tareq leaves and the new one he seeks to join . (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Jan. 23, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-399-54683-9
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Nov. 12, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A swoony SF sequel with as many thrills as its predecessor.
Natasha Antoinette Clarke continues uncovering new mysteries at the Gray Wolf Academy for time-traveling art thieves in Noël’s SF/romance YA novel.
Picking up immediately after the events of the previous book in the author’s Stealing Infinity series, this entry sees Natasha continuing to deal with the aftermath of her sexual assault during her last time-travel excursion, or “Trip,” as the students at Gray Wolf affectionately refer to their heists through time. Readers are quickly caught up on the story, though series neophytes may still be left behind by some of the complicated worldbuilding summarized here. Natasha does not know who among her circle at Gray Wolf she can trust, including the enigmatic Arthur Blackstone, ringleader of the Academy for whom the students steal priceless works of art throughout history; her swoonworthy boyfriend, Braxton, who always seems on the precipice of revealing a secret; Killian du Luce, a recently returned student who was lost in time for four years and blames Braxton; and Elodie Blue, the friend she blames for landing her in her current situation. The interpersonal drama at Gray Wolf increases with Killian’s presence, as he tries to get closer to Natasha despite his friction with Braxton, much to the latter’s dismay (unbeknownst to Braxton, Natasha and Killian even shared a passionate kiss upon their first meeting). Noël builds the suspense surrounding this uncertainty along with the tension between the characters themselves as everyone seems to pursue their own hidden agendas (“for reasons I don’t fully understand, Braxton and Killian are sworn enemies”). The book ends satisfyingly, with a cliffhanger sure to bring readers back for the next installment. Most of the characters are cued as White, though physical descriptions are sparse. Diversity is more apparent in supporting characters such as Mason, Natasha’s friend from her life before Gray Wolf, who is Black, and Keane, who is presented as brown; Mason is gay, Elodie is nonmonogamous, and two other male characters are in a relationship. Readers should be forewarned of discussions about sexual assault, but the issue is handled sensitively.
A swoony SF sequel with as many thrills as its predecessor.Pub Date: June 6, 2023
ISBN: 9781649371928
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A gentle historical romance led by chivalry and Christian-based morality.
Eighteen-year-old Louisa embarks on a quest to save both herself and her 12-year-old sister from arranged marriages, finding personal growth and true love along the way.
In 1388 England, Louisa and Margaret live with their uncle, who’s trying to marry them off. Louisa knows that independent wealth is the path to freedom, so she disguises herself as a boy, assumes the name Jack, and runs away in search of a Viking treasure in Yorkshire that’s rumored to be guarded by a giant. She crosses paths with Sir Charles Raynsford of Dericott, a young knight seeking his place and healing from an ill-advised love affair, and the pair begin to work together. The author adds period-appropriate details throughout, including descriptions of a feast, a knight’s vows, an encounter with wolves, the Midsummer festival in a market town, and even a meeting with King Richard in the Tower of London. Louisa and Sir Charles’ pivotal adventure on a mountain in Yorkshire leads to happily-ever-after endings for all. This is a mild adventure with good pacing; while the characters Louisa encounters seem to exist to highlight the setting and support her Christian-centered self-actualization, the blossoming romance is sweet and the pair is well matched, with inner lives centered on contemplation and prayer. All characters are cued white; diversity in social rank and physical disabilities illuminates historical attitudes.
A gentle historical romance led by chivalry and Christian-based morality. (author’s note, discussion questions) (Historical romance. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780840708670
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2023
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